The inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,759 is directed to the antiinflammatory and antiarthritic .beta.-oxo-.alpha.-(optionally substituted phenylcarbamoyl)-pyrrolepropionitriles substituted at the 1-position of the pyrrole ring by lower alkyl and phenyl lower alkyl. The prior published literature disclosed anilides of .alpha.-acetylcyanoacetic acid described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,767 and J. Am. Chem. Soc. 35, 959 (1913), as well as anilides of .alpha.-benzoylcyanoacetic acid as described in the last said reference.